Vehicle report

2021 Toyota Corolla

Free recalls, owner complaints, and NHTSA safety ratings for the 2021 Toyota Corolla, plus how to check this specific vehicle before you buy.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla has 1 NHTSA recall on record and 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Its overall NHTSA crash-test rating is 5 out of 5. Below is the full breakdown, plus how to check this specific vehicle by VIN before you buy in Alberta.

1

Open recalls

15

Complaints

5

Overall safety

Get the full vehicle history report

SPONSORED

Accident & damage records, liens, title brands, ownership history, and odometer verification.

Get full report →

Provided by our vehicle-history partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

2021 Toyota Corolla recalls (1)

  • AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

2021 Toyota Corolla safety ratings

5

Overall

5

Front

5

Side

4

Rollover

Source: NHTSA NCAP ratings.

2021 Toyota Corolla owner complaints (15)

  • TIRES

    Over the past year and a half I’ve had to deal with unknown reasons for at least 13 tire problems. And one of those problems was a complete blow out on the highway. When I went to get my spare tire and change it there wasn’t anything in the trunks spare compartment. I called the dealership and they said they don’t do that (meaning they don’t provide the car with a spare). I was very confused and stressed. I felt played and wasn’t made to feel confident in this purchase. That not the only thing. The electric system does pretty much whatever it wants. Changes my music, gives advice for things we didn’t ask and the volume is always highering itself and lowering just whenever it chooses. The airbag light has been on most of the time letting me know the passenger airbag isn’t on or working properly. The engine light has been on for at least four months now. I understand Warranty for regular checkups and maintenance but this feels a bit more serious than me making sure I’ve secured my warranty. I have called and taken the vehicle into both Toyota of Visalia and Toyota of Selma where I got financing for the vehicle. Toyota of Visalia wasn’t very much help at all and preceded to talk down to me. Toyota of Selma keeps giving me the run around and telling me different things about my warranty. This car isn’t worth the trouble my credit score goes through to secure it each month just to have something else fail me in it. At this point I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to replace the DC to DC because the car died a week ago and hasn’t turned back on since. And yes I’ve tried jumping the battery already. I’ve only had this car a year and a half. I wasn’t made aware of any issues with it when I drove it home that day. It was a nice ride home but less than a couple months I was already having questions about its performance. I really wish this complaint would even help but I’m just writing to probably waste my own time.

  • POWER TRAIN

    The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving in third gear, the vehicle failed to shift into a lower gear and became stuck in Neutral. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a defective slave cylinder, which was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,023.

  • POWER TRAIN

    The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and remained in first gear. The contact shifted into Neutral, manually pulled the clutch, and attempted to reverse, but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the slave cylinder and the clutch cylinder assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000

  • SEAT BELTS

    Within a week of buying my vehicle in May of 2021 I went to Clearwater Toyota where I bought the vehicle from and complaining about the three seat belts in the back malfunctioning. When nobody is sitting in the backseat they sound off as if somebody is sitting there. I know that there is a recall on the front seat belt sensor doing this same issue for the Toyota Corollas but everyone I have spoken to that owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla complains about the back seats doing it as well the sensors misfire or sound off every hour as I'm driving at least once an hour. As an Uber Lyft driver I am concerned about my passengers in the backseat wearing the seat belts and the seat belt malfunctioning due to the sensors malfunctioning since I bought the vehicle in May of 2021. Any of the above questions I would have to stay unknown.

  • VISIBILITY/WIPER

    During the lower interval settings, wipers will not work in proper order. Sometimes you may get three quick wipes and them the wipers will stop in middle of windshield for about 5-8 seconds. Sometimes the wipers are inconsistent with proper timing and will not properly work all the time.

  • POWER TRAIN

    Clutch pedal kept sticking to floor. Eventually the pedal did not return at all. Concentric slave cylinder failed and brake fluid leaking in bell housing. Dealer stated: found slave cylinder inside the bell housing failed which caused brake fluid to contaminate bell housing components. recommend replace slave cylinder assembly, clutch kit with flywheel, and throw out bearing assembly.

  • POWER TRAIN

    LA TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICA CVT USADAS EN LA MAYORIA DE LOS TOYOTAS, NO PUEDES REVISAR SI ESTA EL ACEITE SUCIO , YA QUE ES COMPLETAMENTE SELLADA, Y CUANDO PREGUNTAS EN EL DEALER TE DICEN QUE CON ESTAS NUEVAS TRANSMISSIONES NO NECESIAS CAMBIAR EL FLUIDO(ACEITE ), RESULTA QUE ESTAS TRANSMISSIONES LA MAYORIA SOLO DURAN DE 50000 A 100000 MILLAS, ES INCREIBLE COMO TOYOTA SIENDO UNA COMPANIA DE BUENA REPUTACION, NOS H AFECTADO A MILES DE CONSUMIDORES, LE COMENTO ESTO PORQUE MI AUTO ES 2021, MENOS DE 5 ANOS, CON 135000 MILLAS ,YA NO TENGO GARANTIA, ES FRUSTANTE QUE TODO ESTO LO HAGAN PARA HACER GASTAR MAS AL CONSUMIDOR SOLO POR SU INTERES ECONOMICO

  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

    The vehicle displays an “Engine Maintenance Required” warning message shortly after the air conditioning is turned on. The warning does not usually appear immediately at startup but consistently appears when the A/C system is activated. The vehicle currently remains drivable, but the issue appears related to the engine cooling system and may involve the coolant bypass valve/flow control valve, which has been widely reported by other owners of similar model vehicles. The problem raises safety concerns because a cooling system malfunction could potentially lead to overheating while driving. The issue has been reproduced multiple times. A generic code scan at an auto parts store did not show stored engine codes. The vehicle was taken to a Toyota dealership and Toyota customer service was contacted regarding known coverage programs related to this issue, but the VIN was reportedly not included. Warning symptoms first appeared during normal driving and continue intermittently whenever the air conditioning system is used.

  • SEAT BELTS

    The rear seatbelt sensor doesn't work well, sometimes the rear seatbelt are buckled what it says they're not and sometimes they're not buckled and it says they are.

  • STRUCTURE

    When attempting to replace the rear glass at Safelite on 4/29/2026, the worker noticed rust on the headliner. Now the rear glass can't be replaced until a body shop replaces the rusted headliner. I began leasing this car in December 2020, and now I own it. Now I am driving with a plastic covering over the rear window, which poses a safety hazard.

  • STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

    The car accelerated on its own when I was attempting to park it. I had no control over the car and it ended up crashing into multiple vehicles.

  • AIR BAGS

    The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while his son was driving at 3 MPH, they were rear-ended by a BMW X5 and pushed forward, crashing into a Ford Explorer. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that his son sustained injuries consisting of lacerations to his face and was taken to the hospital by ambulance, where medical attention was provided. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed, which indicated that the air bags deployed. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

  • ENGINE

    The Clutch Slave Cylinder needs replacement

  • ENGINE

    Engine maintenance required, call dealer. The engine coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced. Known issue in Toyota corolla’s yet no recall to remedy the repair.

  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

    Coolant bypass valve has shorted out. “Engine maintenance required” notification popped up on the gauge cluster

Checking a used Toyota Corolla before you buy

The recall, complaint, and safety data above describes the 2021 Corolla in general. To know the condition and history of the specific vehicle you're looking at, check it by VIN. A VIN check shows whether this particular Corolla's recalls are still outstanding, and a full history report adds accident, title, and ownership records the data above can't show.

Before you buy a 2021 Toyota Corolla in Alberta:

See other model years of the Toyota Corolla, or browse more Toyota models.

2021 Toyota Corolla — questions and answers

Does the 2021 Toyota Corolla have any recalls?+

Our check found 1 NHTSA recall associated with the 2021 Toyota Corolla. Check the specific vehicle by VIN to see which remain outstanding, since some may already have been repaired. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.

How many complaints does the 2021 Toyota Corolla have?+

NHTSA lists 15 owner complaints for the 2021 Toyota Corolla in our results. Complaints are problems reported by owners and don't always lead to a recall, but a pattern of similar complaints is worth weighing before you buy.

Is the 2021 Toyota Corolla safe?+

The 2021 Toyota Corolla has an overall NHTSA crash-test rating of 5. Review the front-crash, side-crash, and rollover ratings above, and pair safety ratings with a mechanical inspection of the specific vehicle.

How do I check a 2021 Toyota Corolla VIN?+

Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN into our free VIN check to see recalls, complaints, and safety ratings for that exact vehicle, then run an Alberta Personal Property Registry (PPR) lien search before you pay.

Are recall repairs on a Toyota free?+

Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed at no cost by a franchised Toyota dealer, even for a used vehicle and even if you're not the original owner. Confirm the required parts are in stock before relying on the fix.

Get the full vehicle history report

SPONSORED

Accident & damage records, liens, title brands, ownership history, and odometer verification.

Get full report →

Provided by our vehicle-history partner. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.